2 killed in Biliran 'extortion attack' by habal-habal riders

Two people were killed when a group of suspected New People’s Army rebels on board two habal-habals burned down two buses in the island province of Biliran early Saturday morning. Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesman Chief Superintendent Agrimero Cruz Jr. said the incident happened inside the terminal of the Silver Bus Company in Barangay Talahid in Almeria town at about 1 a.m. Based on an initial investigation, seven armed men struck at the bus terminal and started burning three buses but they were only able to torch two. Police said the assailants drove to the terminal on board two habal-habals which they had allegedly rented in neighboring Leyte province. The habal-habal, also called Skylab in some areas, is a distinctively Filipino mode of transport using a motorcycle rigged with extended seats to accommodate more passengers – sometimes six or even more people on-board one motorcycle. Police arrested two suspects, who reportedly claimed they were hired by the NPA rebels to drive the two habal-habals. The identities of the two fatalities, as well as the causes of their deaths, were not immediately available. Authorities estimated the damage caused by the attack at P14 million. Authorities are looking into reports that the assailants launched the attack after the owner of the bus company failed to pay them revolutionary taxes. Taxation by the communist-led NPA has been raised as a major issue by the national government during the recently resumed peace talks with the National Democratic Front, the rebel umbrella group to which the NPA belongs.—Mark D. Merueñas/JV, GMA News